In　the　context　of　severe　water　shortage　and　pollution,　enhancing　the　green　total-factor　productivity　of　water　resources　(GTFPWR)　is　critical　for　the　green　development　of　water　resources.　This　study　aims　to　propose　a　novel　two-stage　analytical　framework,　in　which　the　GTFPWR　is　measured　in　the　first　stage　and　its　economic-related　determinants　are　examined　in　the　second　stage.　In　this　two-stage　analytical　framework,　we　improve　and　integrate　four　classical　methods,　namely,　the　undesirable-super-slack-based　measure,　global　Malmquist-Luenberger　productivity　index,　system　generalized　method　of　moments　and　fixed-effects　panel　threshold　models.　The　proposed　analytical　framework　is　capable　of　addressing　four　practical　issues　simultaneously:　equal　efficiency,　undesirable　outputs,　impact　scenarios　and　endogenous　biases.　We　can　thus　more　accurately　and　comprehensively　evaluate　the　GTFPWR　and　its　determinants.　To　validate　the　applicability　and　suitability　of　the　proposed　methodology,　we　collected　the　panel　data　about　water　resources　across　30　provinces　in　China　from　2005　to　2015　for　an　empirical　study.　The　main　findings　of　this　study　are　as　follows:　i)　the　level　of　water　utilization　is　a　critical　factor　for　the　government　to　decide　whether　to　increase　the　GTFPWR　via　foreign　direct　investment　and　trade;　ii)　the　amount　of　wastewater　should　be　effectively　reduced　to　mitigate　the　conflicts　between　urbanization　and　the　GTFPWR　growth;　iii)　inland　provinces,　particularly　Shanxi,　Hainan　and　Yunnan,　need　to　improve　water　technologies　and　management　to　increase　their　low-GTFPWR-growth　rates.　Our　analytical　framework　is　practical　to　evaluate　water-use　productivity　and　its　determinants,　while　our　empirical　findings　provide　new　insights　into　the　green　development　of　water　resources　and　may　shed　light　on　future　policies　of　environmental　management.　©　2019　Elsevier　Ltd